Lesson 61 – Building confidence – speaking
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Today I want to give you an assignment that will help you to gain confidence in speaking
- In our last lesson you should have done as assessment of your listening and reading skills – you will now know what and how to improve these.
- Now I want you to step up with your speaking.
- You need to push yourself to do this.
- The more you can speak the better you will come.
- Don’t just do IELTS speaking, the wider your choice of topics the more varied your language will come.
- Don’t worry that you are not speaking to native speakers – if you have the same language level as your buddy then your conversations will help you.
- The key thing is to get practice – this is so easy via Skype and you will make new friends too!
- Let me know if you have still NOT found a speaking buddy here on Gapfillers.
- In fact I have an assignment for you which will help you to do this.
- Find out at the bottom of the page to make this happen.
If you don’t use English every day then consider finding a speaking partner here on Gapfillers. I asked you all at the beginning if you wanted to share Skype names but only 2 people stepped forward – this is an opportunity there are people on this programme who could be a speaking partner. Let me know and I can circulate Skype names (in this group only)
Key skills to develop:
- Try to speak regularly with your buddy.
- Begin your conversation with some general topics (like the part 1) ask about jobs, hobbies, where they live – use some of the IELTS questions to do this – take it in turns
- Don’t rush the practice – you need to build up a trust and also a relationship so that you can communicate easily
- You will be helping each other to improve so you will need to help each other with errors and language generally it is not easy to find mistakes with other people if you don’t know them well – so give the study time – maybe at first just stick with general conversation
- When you feel ready the go on to more detailed IELTS speaking – take turns in being examiner/candidate and ask the questions in a more critical way – make suggestions about how to improve – correct if you can
- One way of getting even more feedback is to record yourselves and then create a blog to post your recordings – invite other Step by Step members to comment
- Why not set up a group on Skype and have group calls (I would recommend not more than 4/5)
- How often should you meet? If you can manage every day that would be great perhaps 45 minutes or an hour – of not the maybe three times a week (in a group this would be easier as you could always guarantee that someone would be there)
- So now you know what to do all you need to do is go out and get started!
Don’t forget, if there is anything you don’t understand or can’t find send a message via Contact us
Now let’s try some speaking
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Now go to My Account on Gapfillers
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Choose Message Centre
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Choose New Network Message
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Choose Step by Step
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Write a short message giving your name, the band score you want and your skype name
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Go back and check tomorrow and see who else has put their details there and reply to them!!
Here is my challenge for you
You should find a message from me in the Step by Step message box – can you meet this challenge! I’m waiting for your invitation 🙂
Don’t forget, if there is anything you don’t understand or can’t find send a message via Contact us
Now you’re done!
Good luck and let’s make great progress with IELTS!
Here’s a chance to get a speaking assessment and have your writing checked too!
Take advantage of my IELTS Breakthrough Session which will give you great feedback on both speaking and writing and the information you need to improve.